Method for forming an electrical interconnection

Claim 1

A method for forming a connection between an insulative support housing having a plurality of receiving apertures with electrical contact elements therein, said housing being inelastically deformable along at least a portion thereof, and building cable having a plurality of twisted-pair wires grouped together and being surrounded by a covering layer, said method comprising the steps of: removing said covering layer from a portion of said building cable to provide access to said plurality of twisted-pair wires; ordering individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in accordance with said plurality of receiving apertures; simultaneously inserting individual ones of said twisted-pair wires into said receiving apertures and positioning individual ones of said twisted-pair wires relative to said electrical contact elements and to said deformable portion; and crimping said housing element to compress said deformable portion and inelastically deform said portion for mechanically retaining individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in position in said housing element independent of said covering layer and for compressing said electrical contact elements into surface-to-surface electrical contact with individual ones of said twisted-pair wires.

Claim 2

A method for forming a connection between an insulative support housing having a plurality of receiving apertures with electrical contact elements therein, said housing being inelastically deformable along at least a portion thereof, and building cable having a plurality of twisted-pair wires grouped together and being surrounded by a covering layer, said method comprising the steps of: removing said covering layer from a portion of said building cable to provide access to said plurality of twisted-pair wires; ordering individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in accordance with said plurality of receiving apertures; simultaneously inserting individual ones of said twisted-pair wires into said receiving apertures and positioning individual ones of said twisted-pair wires relative to said electrical contact elements and to said deformable portion; and crimping said housing element to compress said deformable portion and inelastically deform said portion for mechanically retaining individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in position in said housing element independent of said covering layer and for compressing said electrical contact elements into surface-to-surface electrical contact with individual ones of said twisted-pair wires.

Claim 5

A method for terminating building cable having a plurality of twisted-pair wires grouped together and being surrounded by a covering layer with an insulative modular housing having a plurality of receiving apertures with electrical contact elements therein, said housing being inelastically deformable along at least a portion thereof and being defined by a face end with a plug insertion aperture formed therein for receiving a complimentary plug to be inserted and by four sidewalls sized for placement within a receiving aperture of a wall panel having oppositely facing engagement tracks, one of said sidewalls having a interlocking tab extending therefrom and an oppositely facing sidewall having a seating tab extending therefrom, said method comprising the steps of: removing said covering layer from a portion of said building cable to provide access to said plurality of twisted-pair wires; ordering individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in accordance with said plurality of receiving apertures; simultaneously inserting individual ones of said twisted-pair wires into said receiving apertures and positioning individual ones of said twisted-pair wires relative to said electrical contact elements and to said deformable portion; crimping said modular housing to compress said deformable portion and inelastically deform said portion for mechanically retaining individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in position in said housing element independent of said covering layer and for compressing said electrical contact elements into surface-to-surface electrical contact with individual ones of said twisted-pair wires; placing said modular housing within said wall panel aperture; and engaging said seating tab with one of said engagement tracks and engaging said interlocking tab with another of said engagement tracks for providing one half of an electrical interconnection at said wall panel.

Claim 6

A method for terminating building cable having a plurality of twisted-pair wires grouped together and being surrounded by a covering layer with an insulative modular housing having a plurality of receiving apertures with electrical contact elements therein, said housing being inelastically deformable along at least a portion thereof and being defined by a face end with a plug insertion aperture formed therein for receiving a complimentary plug to be inserted and by four sidewalls sized for placement within a receiving aperture of a wall panel having oppositely facing engagement tracks, one of said sidewalls having a interlocking tab extending therefrom and an oppositely facing sidewall having a seating tab extending therefrom, said method comprising the steps of: removing said covering layer from a portion of said building cable to provide access to said plurality of twisted-pair wires; ordering individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in accordance with said plurality of receiving apertures; simultaneously inserting individual ones of said twisted-pair wires into said receiving apertures and positioning individual ones of said twisted-pair wires relative to said electrical contact elements and to said deformable portion; crimping said modular housing to compress said deformable portion and inelastically deform said portion for mechanically retaining individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in position in said housing element independent of said covering layer and for compressing said electrical contact elements into surface-to-surface electrical contact with individual ones of said twisted-pair wires; placing said modular housing within said wall panel aperture; and engaging said seating tab with one of said engagement tracks and engaging said interlocking tab with another of said engagement tracks for providing one half of an electrical interconnection at said wall panel.

Claim 7

A method for forming an electrical interconnection between first and second building cables having a plurality of twisted-pair wires grouped together and being surrounded by a covering layer by coupling a crimp modular jack with a crimp modular plug, said modular jack comprising a modular jack housing having a plurality of receiving apertures with electrical contact elements therein and being defined with a face end having a plug insertion aperture formed therein, said modular jack housing being inelastically deformable along at least a portion, said modular plug comprising a modular plug housing having a plurality of receiving apertures defined by longitudinal sockets formed in a top wall of said plug housing with electrical terminals disposed therein, said plug housing being inelastically deformable along at least a portion, said method comprising the steps of: removing said covering layer from a portion of said first building cable to provide access to said plurality of twisted-pair wires; ordering individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in accordance with said plurality of modular jack receiving apertures; simultaneously inserting individual ones of said twisted-pair wires into said jack receiving apertures and positioning individual ones of said twisted-pair wires relative to said electrical contact elements and to said deformable portion; crimping said modular jack housing to compress said deformable portion and inelastically deform said portion for mechanically retaining individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in position in said modular jack housing independent of said covering layer and for compressing said electrical contact elements into surface-to-surface electrical contact with individual ones of said twisted-pair wires of said first building cable; removing said covering layer from a portion of said second building cable to provide access to said plurality of twisted-pair wires; ordering individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in accordance with said plurality of modular plug receiving apertures; simultaneously inserting individual ones of said twisted-pair wires into said plug receiving apertures and positioning individual ones of said twisted-pair wires relative to said electrical terminals and to said deformable portion; crimping said modular plug housing to compress said deformable portion and inelastically deform said portion from mechanically retaining individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in position in said modular plug housing independent of said covering layer and for compressing said electrical terminals into surface-to-surface electrical contact with individual ones of said twisted-pair wires of said second building cable; and mating said modular plug housing into said plug insertion aperture in said modular jack housing and contacting each of said modular jack electrical contact elements with respective ones of said modular plug electrical terminals to form an electrical interconnection therebetween.

Claim 8

A method for forming an electrical interconnection between first and second building cables having a plurality of twisted-pair wires grouped together and being surrounded by a covering layer by coupling a crimp modular jack with a crimp modular plug, said modular jack comprising a modular jack housing having a plurality of receiving apertures with electrical contact elements therein and being defined with a face end having a plug insertion aperture formed therein, said modular jack housing being inelastically deformable along at least a portion, said modular plug comprising a modular plug housing having a plurality of receiving apertures defined by longitudinal sockets formed in a top wall of said plug housing with electrical terminals disposed therein, said plug housing being inelastically deformable along at least a portion, said method comprising the steps of: removing said covering layer from a portion of said first building cable to provide access to said plurality of twisted-pair wires; ordering individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in accordance with said plurality of modular jack receiving apertures; simultaneously inserting individual ones of said twisted-pair wires into said jack receiving apertures and positioning individual ones of said twisted-pair wires relative to said electrical contact elements and to said deformable portion; crimping said modular jack housing to compress said deformable portion and inelastically deform said portion for mechanically retaining individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in position in said modular jack housing independent of said covering layer and for compressing said electrical contact elements into surface-to-surface electrical contact with individual ones of said twisted-pair wires of said first building cable; removing said covering layer from a portion of said second building cable to provide access to said plurality of twisted-pair wires; ordering individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in accordance with said plurality of modular plug receiving apertures; simultaneously inserting individual ones of said twisted-pair wires into said plug receiving apertures and positioning individual ones of said twisted-pair wires relative to said electrical terminals and to said deformable portion; crimping said modular plug housing to compress said deformable portion and inelastically deform said portion from mechanically retaining individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in position in said modular plug housing independent of said covering layer and for compressing said electrical terminals into surface-to-surface electrical contact with individual ones of said twisted-pair wires of said second building cable; and mating said modular plug housing into said plug insertion aperture in said modular jack housing and contacting each of said modular jack electrical contact elements with respective ones of said modular plug electrical terminals to form an electrical interconnection therebetween.

Claim 9

A method for forming an electrical interconnection between building cable having a plurality of twisted-pair wires grouped together and being surrounded by a covering layer and flat cable terminating with a modular plug having a plurality of spaced contact terminals, said method comprising the steps of: providing a complimentary modular jack housing for terminating said building cable, said jack housing having a face end with an insertion aperture for receiving said modular plug and a plurality of longitudinal insertion slots with electrical contact elements, each of said contact elements having a terminal portion disposed in one of said insertion slots and a leg portion disposed in said plug receiving aperture, said housing having a portion being inelastically deformable; removing said covering layer from a portion of said building cable to provide access to said plurality of twisted-pair wires; ordering individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in accordance with said plurality of insertion slots; simultaneously inserting individual ones of said twisted-pair wires into said insertion slots and positioning individual ones of said twisted-pair wires relative to said terminal portions of said electrical contact elements and to said deformable portion; and crimping said housing element to compress said deformable portion and inelastically deform said portion for mechanically retaining individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in position in said housing element independent of said covering layer and for compressing said terminal portions into surface-to-surface electrical contact with individual ones of said twisted-pair wires; and mating said modular plug into said plug insertion aperture in said modular jack housing to electrically engage said leg portions with said plug contact terminals to form said electrical interconnection.

Claim 10

A method for forming an electrical interconnection between building cable having a plurality of twisted-pair wires grouped together and being surrounded by a covering layer and flat cable terminating with a modular plug having a plurality of spaced contact terminals, said method comprising the steps of: providing a complimentary modular jack housing for terminating said building cable, said jack housing having a face end with an insertion aperture for receiving said modular plug and a plurality of longitudinal insertion slots with electrical contact elements, each of said contact elements having a terminal portion disposed in one of said insertion slots and a leg portion disposed in said plug receiving aperture, said housing having a portion being inelastically deformable; removing said covering layer from a portion of said building cable to provide access to said plurality of twisted-pair wires; ordering individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in accordance with said plurality of insertion slots; simultaneously inserting individual ones of said twisted-pair wires into said insertion slots and positioning individual ones of said twisted-pair wires relative to said terminal portions of said electrical contact elements and to said deformable portion; and crimping said housing element to compress said deformable portion and inelastically deform said portion for mechanically retaining individual ones of said twisted-pair wires in position in said housing element independent of said covering layer and for compressing said terminal portions into surface-to-surface electrical contact with individual ones of said twisted-pair wires; and mating said modular plug into said plug insertion aperture in said modular jack housing to electrically engage said leg portions with said plug contact terminals to form said electrical interconnection.